Recent Barcode Scanning Issues With Amazon

[testee]

I’ve recently been getting a few shipment performance issues under the “Incorrect label problem” group.

After disputing the case, Amazon sent me one picture of an FNSKU label that they claim is problematic. When I received the picture, I took out my phone using a barcode scanner app and was successfully able to scan the barcode with my phone’s camera pointed directly at the laptop’s screen. So if I can use a 3 year old Samsung phone to scan a barcode I would hope Amazon’s state of the art technology should be able to as well.

For the record, I’m using a Rollo label printer that is barely a year old. I also make sure to clean the printer head regularly.

My question is, if the barcodes are un-scannable to Amazon then why isn’t there any record of Amazon relabeling them and charging me a fee? It wouldn’t make sense to leave the labels as is if Amazon can’t scan them.

I had a similar issue like this show up in March for the first time after selling on Amazon for almost a decade. I disputed it and Amazon removed the problem from my account after not being able to confirm if they relabeled them or not. These last 3 just showed up this past week and I keep getting push back from seller support.

So does anyone have any idea how you would go about resolving this? I already got 2 cases rejected and another one I expect to be rejected soon and I am trying to find an approach to resolve these erroneous issues. A few more of these and my coaching level will be raised to elevated which is what I don’t want. I appreciate anyone who could assist.

[Pepper_Thine_Angus]

So unreadable barcodes can be caused by a few things, but the main thing we have all seen is labels CAN NOT BE GLOSSY. Not even semi-gloss.

Beyond that, I would assume mostly amazon employee issues scanning,

[papy]

@testee I recommend reading through these recent topics for some possible ideas:

• https://test.sellersasksellers.com/t/can-i-print-fnsku-barcodes-directly-onto-my-product-page/1324?u=papy

• https://test.sellersasksellers.com/t/looking-for-recommendations-for-fba-barcode-applicators-automation/1207?u=papy

• https://test.sellersasksellers.com/t/shipment-performance-notification-missing-new-disposition-on-barcode/1319?u=papy

[Tried_Tested]

They tend to bundle shipment issues into a lumpsum whole and then have a call with you if it repeats. For us it was barcode couldn’t be scanned - but that is because our packaging while having the correct FNSKU had the asin printed below it as opposed to the FNSKU, and additionally oversending quantity by a few units and to top it all off not having the condition of the FNSKU in question on the label itself. So it might be that the issues are being lumped - barring glossy background, it’s most likely employee error and nothing can be done about it.

[SawleMill]

@testee

if I can use a 3 year old Samsung phone to scan a barcode I would hope Amazon’s state of the art technology should be able to as well.

Amazon’s state of the art tech is likely much older than the tech in your three year old phone. Additionally, Amazon is going for speed. Your phone reads through optical recognition (a form of AI) one barcode in the time Amazon expects it’s equipment to read perhaps two dozen, using laser refraction or perhaps infrared refraction. Hence the no glossy requirement.

BTW, welcome!

[wadeorcas]

@testee

For the record, I’m using a Rollo label printer that is barely a year old. I also make sure to clean the printer head regularly.

I print all my FBA labels on a 30 up label sheet with a laser printer so if you have a laser printer, that would be my only suggestion to try. Otherwise it does not make sense you would not be able to read it from your rollo. Ya never know. I tried printing my end of day on my Zebra and my local post office scanner would not read it but I printed the same size on my laser and it would.

[ASV_Vites]

We have been dealing with this bull ■■■■ since Nov of 2021 when Amazon changed their belt scanners to visual vs. laser.

Always dispute these, we win most.

Almost got the item they keep hitting whitelisted but lost that case even with a SAS escalation.

It’s funny that you scanned your screen because I did the same thing with an old iPhone 4 that I use for the Amazon App for my other Amazon account…

I actually won a dispute by saying that and sending a video of me doing it to my SAS manager… Hey ■■■ holes, if a picture of a label scans, then the damn label scans!

We moved from hand applying 30ups to adding the FNSKU to our trade dress. The problem Amazon says is they are too glossy. OK… Went back to our label printer and had custom plates made to exclude the barcode area of from having the standard UV coating that’s on all consumer products.

Got nailed anyway… No matter what we do we can’t win. The funny thing is we do this with 9 different listings and they only hit 1 listing, our best seller.

I have zero advice for you because no matter how hard we try to do this right, including tossing 50K labels we already had printed, paying for custom plates and adjusting over and over again, we still get nailed.

It got to the point where we were forced to have a coaching call. I let that person have it and they totally agreed with me and cleared that particular violation and reversed the charges.

Bottom line, if you are going to sell on Amazon, then you are going to have to deal with this and a lot more.

This is all Amazon’s fault with their faulty untested equipment. What we do is what is done on every CPG product for the last 40 years.

There’s no way to win, you just need to fight, cope, and sit in therapy to deal with it all.

[VTR]

The people you are trying to communicate with are incompetent morons.

It is a known issue Amazon has faulty or improperly setup optical scanners where lighting causes reflections. We have had this problem numerous times and they never show us an item that has a replacement label meaning its a non-issue. They are also so incompetent as to say that we have a reflective label, when we print on the product where label reflectivity has no reference in ANY Amazon policy.

Just ignore them as much as possible unless you are using a reflective bar code.

Just ignore the automated morons unless your performance gets into the trouble area and then reach out to the Andy email. Don’t loose any sleep.

[Tandi]

@ASV_Vites

when Amazon changed their belt scanners to visual vs. laser.

Same here its become a real PITA, I switched to matte packaging which looks terrible imo and still issues. I have everything hand labelled now and still get hit when it goes to certain warehouses. The coaching calls are absurd as well, when I am nowhere near the level of escalation but that’s Amazon for ya.

[packetfire]

I have my FNSKU on my product label, and aside from making sure that the label is planar (not curved around a jar or bottle, but vertical on any curved surface), I’ve not had a problem.

If they claim a problem do they send the carton for “prep”, or must one remove and rework?

Trying to get my head around the process, as the complaint seems random, perhaps a matter of a slightly less clean “reader lens” on a reader, so it could happen to anyone, you and I included.

[VTR]

They are so incompetent or intentionally negligent they refuse to use their own reports as evidence when they say they did not receive units in a shipment.

[ASV_Vites]

@packetfire

If they claim a problem do they send the carton for “prep”, or must one remove and rework?

They fix it and charge the standard prep fee per unit. In our case, there is nothing to fix so I assume they collect the fee and put the product on the shelf without touching it.